Just a point of clarification: Pell can only speak for his own area of control which is Sydney. He has no control over other church areas. For someone reason he has a higher profile than other bishops/cardinals in Australia, probably due to his right wing, protect the church approach. He is not the CEO of the Catholic Church in Australia. Having said all that he contradicts himself. If a priest suspects that another priest is guilty of paedophilia he should not only not hear confession he should immediately go to the police. The state laws need to reflect this so that the priest who suspects and takes no action, or only reports it to the church management should be charged.

The laws of the state must override the laws of a religion (any religion or sect of that religion).

Reality, smh.com.au

I fully support Pell. When will the nanny state interfereing with matters that should clearly be resolved by the religious organisations themselves. Every religion has its own traditions and culture. Be it poligamous marriage under sharia law, divorce procedures dictated by the Beit Din or enforced celebacy and subsequent child abuse by the Catholic church. People involved in these organisations are not beholden to the same laws as the rest of society. It should be recognised that ethical principles are not universal, but rather human constructs that exist within certain groups.

Matt, smh.com.au

#pell has put the church and himself in a position that is completely opposite to the teachings of Jesus

@visionpete, Twitter

Pell is resolute, priests who have heard pedophiles' confessions should not answer questions at royal commission. People are leaving [Catholic Church]

@stingos2004, Twitter

Satan is speaking. It takes the Royal Commission to bring him out & talk to the general public. They have been covering these child sexual abuse cases for 70 years!! Whilst I have nothing against this religion (just don't preach to me), I have everything against those who run the organization from top to bottom & involve in these cases including the cover-ups.

Ashley A. Ting, facebook.com/sydneymorningherald

Cardinal, if this disgusting behaviour hadn't been covered up all these years we wouldn't have to see this continually re run as you call it. No longer can we say what happens in confession stays in confession when we are dealing with this disgusting treatment of children. A few Hail Mary's as penance is not enough. Surely you can see what harm this has done to the Catholic faith & Christianity in general. People turn away from the church and one day we may all live in a country where being a Christian you will be ostracised and in my opinion that will be a sad day!!

Mark Fitzgerald, facebook.com/sydneymorningherald

Will the recommendations of a royal commission into child abuse fare any better than those from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody or will we end up with another 339 recommendations no one has the courage to implement?

Peter Fyfe, Letters

It should be abundantly clear to all but the wilfully blind that the problems the Catholic Church faces regarding sexual abuse by priests and brothers would be greatly reduced if women were in positions of authority in that institution. Sadly, as the revelations of abuse in non-church organisations demonstrates, some men and some, but very many fewer, women will abuse positions of trust in relation to children. As tradition is the only reason argued against allowing women to share fully in the ministry of the Catholic Church it is long overdue for this tradition to be abandoned for the benefit of all but particularly children.

Even by the appalling standards of the NSW ALP Right Sussex Street tribe, the rise of Eddie Obeid to "he who must be Obeid" status is a wonderment to behold.

Can anyone cite one single, solitary thing that would associate Obeid with Labor values, philosophies and principles?

Keith Parsons, Letters

By the time the ICAC inquiry is over, I suspect the commission may owe an apology to the Rum Corps.

Frank McGrath, Letters

There just is no end to the organised "factions" in the ALP. I'm not sure if this was the case 50 years ago but the way its done both state and federally is the party's greatest weakness. Truly able people miss out on the perfect job for them in government because they're in the wrong faction. This is a mentality from a primary school yard, not thinking adults. The Libs sort of had it with the loony religeous Right in NSW (dead now under O'Farrell) but it was amateur hour compared to Labor.

During the first cricket Test, a great deal of airtime and considerable newspaper space has been given to the inequities of the no-ball law ( 'Umpiring dramas sit firmly on players' shoulders,' Sportsday,November 14). Yet not a word has been spoken or written about the unfairness of the achaic rule which ruled out a replacement for South Africa's J.P. Duminy, injured before he had a chance to strap on a pad, leaving his side a man short and without one of their key batsmen. In most other team sports, replacements for injured players are permitted. It allows for a level playing field and it is time cricket authorities followed suit.

Garth Clarke, Letters

This South African side lacks desperation and a resolve to really want to win.The worst of the lot is their Captain,who is aimless and uninspiring.They hope for things to go their way rather than make things happen.They lost the initiative yesterday completely,that's not the effort you expect from the world's no1.ranked team.

Rod, smh.com.au

GABBA does it again. A batsmens paradise bad for cricket. They did it for the 2012 Ashes Test as well. Needs to be even